Leaker Defies Apple, Reveals Foldable iPhone Early
▼ Summary
– Apple is actively trying to silence leakers like YouTuber Jon Prosser, who it has sued for revealing unreleased product details with high-quality 3D renders.
– Prosser recently released a video with specific claims about Apple’s rumored foldable iPhone, including its book-style design and a potential fall 2025 launch.
– According to Prosser’s leak, the device would feature a 5.5-inch external display and a 7.8-inch internal foldable screen, both with hole-punch cameras.
– The article notes conflicting rumors about the device’s specs and questions whether Apple has successfully minimized the visible crease in the folding screen.
– The commercial success of a foldable iPhone is uncertain, given the reported market failures of recent iPhone models like the iPhone Air, and it may carry a very high price.
The tech world is buzzing with a fresh look at Apple’s long-rumored foldable iPhone, thanks to a prominent leaker who has defied the company’s notorious secrecy. YouTuber Jon Prosser, a figure Apple has legally pursued, released detailed 3D renders on Christmas Eve, showcasing a device not expected to be officially unveiled until next year. This early glimpse provides a concrete, if unofficial, vision of what could be Apple’s next major hardware innovation.
Prosser’s video presents a book-style foldable iPhone, rumored for a launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models next fall. According to his claims, the device will feature a 5.5-inch external display with a hole-punch camera. When opened, the interior foldable screen reportedly measures 7.8 inches, also incorporating a hole-punch camera in the upper left corner. The renders depict a dual-camera system positioned on a distinctive oblong camera plateau, reminiscent of the design found on the iPhone Air, with an LED flash on the opposite side.
A key focus of the leak is the device’s potential thinness. Prosser states the foldable iPhone will be approximately 9mm thick when closed, suggesting each half could be around 4.5mm. This would make it notably slimmer than the already ultra-thin iPhone Air. The overall dimensions from this leak align with some earlier reports, though they conflict with others that suggested a smaller external display closer to 5.25 inches.
Visually, the renders suggest a device that is wider than it is tall in both folded and open states. When compared to existing foldables like Google’s Pixel Fold, the potential Apple device appears similar in form factor, aside from potentially thinner bezels. It’s worth noting that other industry whispers have suggested Apple might employ a more advanced “invisible” under-panel camera for the folding display, a feature not shown in these particular renders.
A significant challenge for any foldable remains the visibility of the screen crease. While past rumors indicated Apple had engineered a solution, the latest information leaves this as an open question. The ability to minimize this crease will be a critical factor in the user experience and market reception.
The ultimate success of a foldable iPhone, however, hinges on consumer demand. Apple’s recent track record with niche form factors offers a note of caution. Models like the iPhone mini, iPhone Plus, and the cutting-edge iPhone Air have reportedly struggled commercially despite their innovations. The iPhone Air, with its groundbreaking miniaturization, is even rumored to be discontinued after a single generation due to poor sales, overshadowed by the more conventional iPhone 17 series.
This history raises a pivotal question: will consumers perceive enough value in a foldable iPhone to justify what will almost certainly be a premium price tag, potentially starting well above $2,000? While betting against the iPhone brand is often unwise, the commercial performance of its recent experimental designs suggests that even Apple must convince a skeptical market that folding technology represents a must-have evolution, not just a novel luxury.
(Source: Gizmodo)
